Karate Kid - Jackie Chan remake with Jaden Smith as lead

A legend is remade, The Karate Kid franchise was my brothers and cousins favorite. They watched each one over and over again. The first one ever was obviously the most favorite among them. It is one of those movies that can never be replaced mainly because if someone it was tried it would just pale in comparison. So most fans has not been happy by the news of Columbia with co-production with a China Film Group wants to do a remake Kirate Kid.

They have Jackie Chan as a version of Mr Miyagi, Pat Morita. He might be able to pull it of but no one can ever replace Mr. Miyagi he is a legend. It's like trying to replace Elvis with Michael Buble both is good in their own way but no way is Buble the King. Just like Jackie Chan is good he is not Mr. Miyagi.

Good news though is that Jackie has let is slip during a interview that they do not want to remake the original, only make a mirror version. He also said they don't want to call it Karate kid but Kung Fu Kid.

The base is also in China not America so the whole feel of the movie I believe will be different from the original. At least they got a better boy for the lead, who will be played by Jaden Smith (11year old) who is Will Smiths son. Jaden has stood out on his own and I think would make himself in this movie even at such a young age.

The plot is very simplistic, a young American boy, Jaden, moves with his single mother to China. He has a hard time being a American and unable to speak Chinese and quickly picks up trouble from the local bully. The school janitor, Jackie Chan, sees Jaden with a black eye and offers to help teach him to speak Chinese and learn Kung Fu.

That is all that is being said at the moment. I don't mind the remake but I am not that big a fan of the first movie if it wasn't for Mr. Miyagi I most likely would not even have remembered it.

The trailer is not out yet but they have released some preview photo's from the making of The Karate Kid or what ever it is going to be called. Why they would release pictures and still not release the official name I cannot understand.

My only question: are there going to be a 'wax on, wax off' moment?

Karate Kid Lesson 1 (Wax on Wax off)

Update: They have released the trailer and they have named it The Karate Kid.